a nice summer dinner

The traffic out to the Hamptons this weekend was hell.  I am going to be out here this weekend but not again until August.  The entire way out I was thinking about how this is my second to last drive out here for the summer.  I so hate traffic.  I am spending a chunk of the summer in Europe.  Blogging will follow.  Beginning in Rome then to Tuscany and then up to Zurich and over to London for the duration.  I am the only constant in Europe from the Wilson family.  Others come and go.  I'm looking forward to it.

When we finally arrived out here, I rushed out to the store to fill up on makings for dinner.  Dinner was the perfect summer meal.  Local swordfish rubbed with chopped basil, thyme, sage and rosemary mixed with a little bit of olive oil and salt on the grill. 

Caprese salad, which is my all time favorite.  I made some fresh pesto for the occasion. 

A farro salad mixed with the local vegetables.  I love farro.  I grilled corn, asparagus and zucchini and cut that into small pieces (just took the corn off the cob).  I also used local kirby cucumbers that I peeled and sliced into small pieces.  Beets are local now too and I roasted a bunch of them and cut them into small pieces once they cooled.  For a dressing, I used lots of red wine vinegar, some olive oil and salt.  I also took just a few large pinches of feta cheese which just gives the salad a nice bite.  You don't even realize the cheese is in it but it makes a difference.  If I wasn't serving mozzarella in the other salad, I'd probably add more feta for a bigger taste. 

Dessert was simple.  Nectarines, cut in half, and brushed with balsamic vinegar and then grilled.  A scoop of vanilla ice cream, half a nectarine, fresh blueberries and strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar.  Very summery and good.